Wolves in Michigan blamed for over 60 livestock depredations in 2010

[large thumbnail url=”wolves-in-michigan-blamed-for-over-60-livestock-depredations-in-2010″ filename=”news” year=”2010″ month=”11″ day=”01″] [thumbnail icon url=”wolves-in-michigan-blamed-for-over-60-livestock-depredations-in-2010″ filename=”news” year=”2010″ month=”11″ day=”01″] The article describes how wolf depredation of livestock has increased from 16 in 2009, to more than 60 in 2010. However, it doesn’t seek to explain the difference, instead calling for the delisting of wolves in the state so that they can just kill “rogue” wolves.

MARQUETTE — Michigan’s gray wolves have attacked Upper Peninsula farms more times this year than the past three combined, killing a record number of livestock as state officials continue to push to remove federal protections for the endangered animal.

Farmers are reimbursed by the state for livestock killed in confirmed attacks, but the process can be frustrating because federal law leaves landowners and wildlife officials hamstrung in dealing with repeated attacks from rogue wolf packs, officials say.

Two dogs, 57 cattle, seven sheep and a guinea hen have fallen victim to wolves this year…

“Kaiser” in the comment section, offers some interesting reader comments…

As mentioned, the article breaks down the issue to one of pure numbers, however, Kaiser notes that most of this depredation has occurred on one specific farm in the Upper Peninsula, and shrewdly observes that no government department can mandate best practices to help reduce, or completely avoid, livestock loss to any predator.